'Play in the Park' keeping kids happy, healthy and entertained

Tuesday

Aug 7, 2012 at 12:01 AMAug 7, 2012 at 7:52 AM

Held Monday through Friday throughout New Bedford, Play in the Park is a new addition to the Summer Lunch program and gives children the opportunity to take advantage of the city's "Big Backyard" and nutritious meals.

CHRISTINA HICKMAN

NEW BEDFORD — Reveling in the shade of a stately tree at Brooklawn Park is where you will most likely find area residents Edward and Maria Galego on summer weekdays. Sitting in lawn chairs, they watch their grandchildren, Harmon, 6, and Hazel, 4, enjoy the outdoors as part of the city's Play in the Park program.

"We love to see the children playing outside," said Maria, pointing out her 90-year-old mother who walked over to watch her great grandchildren have fun.

Held Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 22 city locations, Housing Authority sites, parks and playgrounds, Play in the Park is a new addition to the city's Summer Lunch program. Free and no registration required, the program, provided by the National Recreation and Parks Association and New Bedford Department of Parks, Recreation & Beaches, gives children the opportunity to take advantage of the city's "Big Backyard" and nutritious meals.

"It's extremely important when we're talking about summer food," said Renee Dufour, director of the Parks, Recreation & Beaches department.

"Seventy-five percent of children (in the New Bedford Public Schools) get free or reduced lunch and potentially aren't eating in the summer. This program is filling a big gap in the summer," she added.

And not only are these children receiving food, but wholesome food at that.

"The food has come a long way. It's healthier," said Lisa Amaral, who walks over to Brooklawn with her son, Jason, and stepson Tyler, both 10, almost every day.

Maria agreed, noting the transition from white to wheat bread and the inclusion of a vegetable with every lunch has not gone unnoticed by the adults.

A typical snack, for example, which gets delivered to sites around 10:30 a.m., might consist of yogurt and orange juice. Lunch, served between noon and 12:30 p.m., always has both a fruit and a vegetable.

Play in the Park also promotes physical activity, a crucial factor in fighting today's childhood obesity epidemic. Almost 17 percent of American youth (ages 2-19) is obese, according to data from The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2009-2010, (released in January 2012 by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service's National Center for Health Statistics).

The program "gets them away from the TV and video games and into fresh air and active," said Dufour. "It's teaching them about balance and a healthy lifestyle."

Jason said the best part of the program is "playing with your friends," and added that, if he wasn't at the park, he'd "probably be playing video games."

Olivia Medeiros, a site supervisor at the Brooklawn location, noted classic activities like Duck Duck Goose, Red Light /Green Light, Hot Potato, and coloring as being some of the kids' favorites.

"It keeps them and their imaginations active," added another Brooklawn supervisor, Sarah Purcell.

"The girls are excellent with the kids, especially considering what they have to work with," said Amaral who, along with Edward, voiced concerns about the park's under-construction playground and lack of the usual sprinklers.

As part of the program, Howland Place Fitness has personal trainers performing Fitness in the Parks from 11 a.m. to noon on Mondays at Ashley Park, Wednesdays at Magnett Park and Thursdays at Brooklawn Park.

A typical Play in the Park day at Dottin Place Housing consists of "football, kickball, whatever they want to do," said site supervisor Steven Richard. "They see their friends more and get more activity."

Richard and fellow Dottin supervisor Stephen Duarte said they usually have about 30 kids each day, ranging from ages three to 17.

"They get along really well, even though they're just thrown together, with different personalities and the age difference," said Duarte.

New to the program this year are special events, funded by a $35,000 competitive grant from the Walmart Foundation (awarded to 28 communities, New Bedford being the sole New England recipient).

Dottin Place was recently the location of a rocket launch demo by Mad Science of Southern Massachusetts and Rhode Island. After a talk about models and why rockets are used, the event culminated in the building of shuttlecopter to take home and launch.

"This atmosphere attracts a different group of kids," said Teresa Gisburne, or "Terrestrial Teri" of Mad Science, who led the Dottin Place event. "Hopefully it gets young kids interested in science."

The city's artMOBILE and Bookmobile both visit the sites, providing arts and crafts and the opportunity to obtain a library card.

"The turnout is higher than ever," said Ross Moran, assistant director of Parks, Recreation & Beaches.

Other events include a World Class Frisbee Show (Todd Brodeur) Buttonwood Park on Aug. 14 and Riverside Park on Aug. 20, Ed the Wizard (interactive performance) upcoming at Ruth Street Playground at on Aug. 16, Drumming About You (Bob Bloom) upcoming at Satellite Housing on Aug. 9, and Mad Science (Rocket building workshop) at Magnett Park on Aug. 22. All of the upcoming events are held at 1 p.m.

"This kind of program is exactly what every city's Parks & Recreation department needs," said Dufour.